Hockey East Major Award Recipients | Hockey East Coach of the Year Nominees

Hockey East Plays of the Year

Norm Bazin, in his second year as the head coach of the UMass Lowell hockey program, was named the recipient of the Bob Kullen Award for Bauer Hockey East Coach of the Year Thursday night at the league's Championship Awards Night at the Royal Sonesta Hotel.

The honor marked the second straight year Bazin received the distinction from Hockey East and fourth straight year he has been named coach of the year. In his final two years at Hamilton College (2009-10, 2010-11), he was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coach of the Year.

"It's a tremendous honor to be this year's recipient for coach of the year,” said Bazin. “I accept it on behalf of our coaching staff and players and consider it a team accomplishment. Hockey East is chalked full of talented coaches and it is more meaningful when your peers nominate you."

Bazin is the second coach in Hockey East history to earn coach of the year honors in consecutive seasons, joining Boston University's Jack Parker who received the award in 2005 and 2006.

The River Hawks (24-10-2), ranked No. 5 in this week's U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division I poll, meet No. 16 Providence (17-13-7) Friday at 5:00 in the Hockey East Tournament semifinal at the TD Garden. Boston College (22-10-4) meets Boston University (20-15-2) in the other semifinal at 8:00.

Under Bazin's direction, UMass Lowell became the first team other than Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire or Maine to win the Hockey East regular season title when it defeated Providence, 4-1, on Mar. 9.

“Norm Bazin's impact on UMass Lowell hockey is already immeasurable and this second consecutive Coach of the Year honor demonstrates that Hockey East recognizes the work Norm has done to advance our program with incredible results,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan. “We are especially proud of this achievement as Norm is an alumnus of both UMass Lowell and our hockey program.”

Entering Friday night's clash against the Friars, Bazin has compiled a two-year record of 48-23-3, the highest two-year win total of any coach in UMass Lowell's Division I history.

Since a Dec. 1 loss to New Hampshire, Bazin has guided UMass Lowell to a 20-3-1 record, the best showing over the second half of the season of any Hockey East team.

“The culture of UMass Lowell hockey was brought back two years ago when coach came back to Lowell,” said senior captain Riley Wetmore. “His dedication to the players not only on the ice, but off the ice, is second to none.

“When you have as much pride as he does in motivating his players, not only on the ice, but in the classroom, it shows the kind of coach he is,” Wetmore added. “There isn't a better person/coach that deserves this award.”

Bazin's impact has also carried over to the classroom – the team currently has a composite grade point average of 3.096 as 15 players have maintained a cumulative grade point average at or above a 3.000.

The River Hawks continue to leave their trademark in the community with their involvement in the Hockey Reading Program, in which players visit local elementary schools to read to students; as well as Team Impact, an organization which matches children with life-threatening illnesses with collegiate teams.

A native of Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba, Bazin is a resident of Windham, N.H., along with his wife, Michelle and sons Blake (8) and Coleston (6).